NEW YORK -- Ezekiel Elliott could only sit front and center Thursday as lawyers argued the fate of his 2017 season before a three-judge panel in a stern and stately federal appeals courtroom 17 floors up in lower Manhattan. The Cowboys running back had no active role in his latest court fight other than highly interested observer.

And the court's ruling ensured that's what he'll remain for the near future. Elliott can now only watch from afar as Dallas plays the next six games without him.

Elliott is suspended. The court granted an expedited appeal of the larger case.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Elliott's motion for a preliminary injunction pending appeal within an hour of hearing 35 minutes of arguments from representatives for Elliott and the NFL. The league immediately enforced the six-game suspension for alleged domestic violence that was first announced on Aug. 11.

Elliott is due to miss his first game of the season, the ninth of the season, Sunday at Atlanta. He can return for the Cowboys' Christmas Eve game against the Seattle Seahawks at Arlington's AT&T Stadium.

While Elliott's legal team has always been able to find a way to keep him on the field until now, he has few options left.

The 2nd Circuit did grant an expedited appeal in his efforts to overturn the lower court's ruling that denied him a preliminary injunction. It set Dec. 1 as the date for arguments. That is four games into the suspension, and there's no guarantee it would be settled before the six games are served. Also, Elliott is coming off two defeats in New York and the 2nd Circuit, so it's not promising that he would win the appeal.

Elliott and the NFL Players Association could apply for a review of the ruling by the entire 2nd Circuit or turn to the Supreme Court, but both options are considered to have slim chances of happening.

Elliott has been fighting his suspension since training camp, in three states, in four courts and in front of nine federal judges. The most relevant recent action goes back to a judge from the Southern District for New York rejecting his request for a preliminary injunction on Oct. 30, siding with the NFL on all issues. That allowed his suspension to kick in last week.

But Elliott appealed the ruling to the 2nd Circuit and asked for a preliminary injunction while the appeal was heard. The court couldn't get to it last week, which is why Elliott was issued an administrative stay a week ago Friday that allowed him to rejoin his teammates and play in last Sunday's win over Kansas City.

But the 2nd Circuit moved quickly to address, and ultimately deny, his motion this week.

NFL lawyer: even if judges side with Elliott on irreparable harm, they must take into account Elliott doesn't satisfy likelihood of success

As of Thursday evening, the 2nd Circuit panel hadn't issued an explanation of its decision other than that Elliott didn't meet the requirements for the injunction.

Elliott had been facing long odds ever since the case moved from Texas to New York. Precedent in the 2nd Circuit, including New England quarterback Tom Brady's "Deflategate," makes it clear courts are loath to interfere with arbitration rulings. Elliott argued he received an unfair arbitration process because of excluded evidence and witnesses. The NFL argued the league did all that was required by the collective bargaining agreement.

Decide for yourself: The evidence and arguments surrounding the suspension of Ezekiel Elliott

Thursday's hearing at Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse offered few clues as to which side the court would favor. Judges Dennis Jacobs, Debra Ann Livingston and Christopher F. Droney prodded both NFLPA lawyer Andrew Tulumello and NFL lawyer Paul Clement to defend or counter what the NFL appeals process should have and did allow in Elliott's appeal hearing and what an injunction would mean for both sides.

Their decision was out soon after Elliott left with cameras capturing his latest trip down the courthouse steps. He hopped into a waiting SUV with his agents.

Elliott's larger legal fights continue, but 90 days after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Elliott's suspension, it's set to be enforced in full.

Original preview story below:

NEW YORK -- Today Ezekiel Elliott will again attend a court hearing here that could determine if he continues to play for the Cowboys or if the cornerstone running back is finally forced to serve his six-game suspension by the NFL.

The 1 p.m. CDT hearing will be the fifth since Elliott's legal fight started at the end of August and it could actually be the last that determines his 2017 status, though, yes, it's appeared that way before. There are simply few options left after a three-judge panel from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs whether to grant Elliott an emergency injunction while his case is sorted out in the court system. The 2nd Circuit, which operates from the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in Lower Manhattan, will be the fourth court to deal with Elliott's case in three states.

The big picture is that Elliott is arguing he received an unfair arbitration process that upheld his discipline for alleged domestic violence. The NFL argues that it did all that was required by the collective bargaining agreement. But what will be addressed today centers on whether Elliott and the NFL Players Association can meet the requirements to earn an injunction. The elements include eventual likelihood of success.

And that is the tricky part.

Elliott avoided the case being heard in New York as long as he could, first filing in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of Texas. But after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans tossed his case because he filed it before the arbitration ruling, the NFL's home turf became center stage.

The 2nd Circuit is where the NFL ultimately won "Deflategate" against New England quarterback Tom Brady. Both Brady and Elliott argued that procedural decisions that excluded certain evidence and witnesses from their arbitration hearing were unfair. The key today may well be if the judges see differences between the Brady and Elliott exclusions.

The Brady ruling made it clear the broad deference paid to arbitration rulings and that courts should rarely intervene.

Elliott has played in all eight of Dallas' games this season, though it's been a wild ride. Elliott received an injunction from a U.S. district judge in Sherman, Texas on Sept. 8 that initially blocked the NFL's suspension. But after the 5th Circuit ruled to vacate the ruling Oct. 12, the NFL started enforcing the suspension. But it was the Cowboys' bye week.

Elliott was able to obtain a temporary restraining order from the Southern District of New York and didn't miss any games, in part because the federal judge assigned to his case was out of town. Upon her return, Katherine Polk Failla held a hearing Oct. 30 and dissolved the TRO and rejected Elliott's request for an injunction, siding with the NFL on every point and citing the Brady case.
Elliott's suspension started again, but the 2nd Circuit issued an administrative stay Friday morning that allowed Elliott to return to the Cowboys and play in last Sunday's win over Kansas City. It was meant to prevent the discipline from beginning until the court could look into his case further.

That brings us to today.

The Cowboys encouraged Elliott to attend the hearing and miss practice if it would help his case at all. He doesn't participate in the hearings, which he also attended in Sherman and last week in New York. Elliott declined to speak with reporters during his usual day to hold court in the Cowboys' locker room after practice Wednesday afternoon.

It's up to the judges how fast a ruling is issued, but it's possible it could come before Sunday's game at Atlanta. If it doesn't, Elliott will be allowed to play until a decision is reached.
A ruling doesn't need to be unanimous, so a 2-1 decision is enough.

The judges who will hear Elliott's motion are Dennis Jacobs, Debra Ann Livingston and Christopher F. Droney. Jacobs and Livingston were appointed by Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively. Droney was appointed by President Barack Obama.

The loser of today's hearing could request a rehearing from the full 2nd Circuit, though those are rarely granted.

Elliott and the NFL Players Association have requested an expedited appeal of the ruling by Failla that thoroughly rejected his move for a preliminary injunction. Even sped up, the appeal might not be resolved by the end of this NFL season.

So despite the seemingly endless legal machinations to this point, today's hearing could matter most.